FILM
WATCHING OUT LOUD Ebert Interruptus returns to CWA with Josh Larsen and ‘The Babadook’ BY MICHAEL J. CASEY
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t happens every year: “We find something absolutely amazing, totally amazing, in the films. It’s not there, but we find it.” So said the late film critic Roger Ebert of Cinema Interruptus, the weeklong panel dissecting a movie one shot at a time during the annual Conference on World Affairs at CU Boulder. “With any solidly made film, the more attention you give it, the more it rewards,” critic and author Josh Larsen says. “Every movie deserves at least a second look before you can really get your arms around it, and what Interruptus allows us to do is not only give it that second look but to do it under great scrutiny.” It’s a rewarding way to watch a movie, which is why CWA’s cornerstone panel continues even though Ebert died in 2013. Not long after, the name was changed to Ebert Interruptus, and since 2017, Larsen has been the host. Among the movies of his Interruptus tenure are the comedy Rushmore, the actionadventure Mad Max: Fury Road, the animated sci-fi Wall-E — each of them a selection that had Interruptus attendees full-fledged fans by the end of the conference, which is likely to be the case again this year. “We’re going to do The Babadook, Jennifer Kent’s 2014 Australian horror film about a single mother raising a young boy in the wake of a tragedy,” Larsen says. “It’s a work of psychological horror. ... It’s very frightening, but it’s not extremely gory or explicit. I hope it will be something that folks new to horror can give it a try.” But, as Larsen points out: “Horror fans love this movie. It has attained a huge reputation as one of the best horror films of the last 10 years.” A movie’s cultural cache is certainly a component of the Interruptus selection process. Larsen says the idea is to present films “that can hold up to scruti-
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ny,” beginning with a screening of the film in its entirety followed by Jennifer Kent’s 2014 Australian horror classic The Babadook plays Ebert Interruptus at the Conference three days of “going through it on World Affairs at CU Boulder from April 9-12. Courtesy: Umbrella Entertainment scene by scene, frame by frame.” As Larsen explains, a movie’s culturmovies,” he continues. “It’s actually ‘FEAR NOT’ al cache is certainly a component of the Larsen knows his horror. Last year, he cathartic for some folks. It’s therapeutic Interruptus selection process, as is for others. To me, it’s also one of the published his second book, Fear Not: A “something that can hold up to scrutiplaces you can best examine movie Christian Appreciation of Horror Movies, ny,” considering The Babadook will craft, because the tools of cinema — where he discusses, dissects and wresscreen in its entirety for the first session tles with 60-plus titles through a theowhether it’s sound or the camerawork to and then be rewatched, “scene by create the suspense — are so integral logical lens. scene, frame by frame,” over the followto the horror genre.” “The horror genre itself is gigantic,” ing three sessions. Those creative decisions drew Larsen says Larsen, who also co-hosts the Audience participation makes to horror films in the first place. long-running Filmspotting podcast. Interruptus flourish. Larsen has many “Take something like the horror great “There are so many sub-genres. There thoughts on The The Blair Witch Project, which was are mainstream horBabadook, but this event made for nothing, went to Sundance ror movies coming allows audiences the and became this huge hit,” he says. “If out. There are lowopportunity to play critic budget horror movies. you look at it, it’s extremely low budget, by yelling, “Stop!” at any yet, at the same time, full of crucial creThere are DIY horror time to pause the movie ative choices worthy of exploring and movies — it is a thrivand point out something considering.” ing genre, perhaps in the frame, express an Those choices are bound to spark now more than ever.” opinion on the perforsome exciting discussions during this But, as Larsen mances, identify how a year’s Ebert Interruptus, whether it’s the admits, it’s also a theme develops visually, exploration of grief at the heart of the genre that gets “comask a question — whatstory, the horror of raising a child, The pletely dismissed and Critic and author Josh Larsen ever comes to mind. (I, Babadook as a feminist expression — written off as exploitreturns to CU Boulder next week as in years past, will be even the Babadook as an LGBTQ icon. ative or grisly or not as the host of Ebert Interruptus, a manning the Blu-ray “I know we’re going to get some horworthy of a person of three-day panel analyzing a single player.) It’s like a book ror fanatics, if not some Babadook faith’s time.” film “scene by scene, frame by group for a movie, fanatics. They bring their own passions Hence, Larsen’s frame.” Courtesy: Josh Larsen “democracy in the dark,” and their own interpretations to the impetus for the book: as CWA founder Howard Higman experience, and you come out with a Is horror a justifiable genre to engage called it. richer understanding of the movie,” with, and how? “That’s where we’re really going to Larsen says. “I’m telling you, it happens “It’s anxiety producing to watch a hordig into these creative choices that every year: I feel like I’ve seen the film ror movie. I know this even as a fan of Jennifer Kent, the writer-director, entirely anew because of the conversait,” he says. “A lot of people will ask: made,” Larsen says. “Explore how tions we have.” ‘Why would you subject yourself to those choices illuminate the various that? If you have a choice, why would themes in this movie, that, to my mind, you do this for entertainment?’ make it one of the richest not only psy“But of course, there are other reaON SCREEN: chological horror films, but in the subsons beyond just those scares that The Babadook plays Ebert genre of mother horror.” [make] people feel attracted to horror Interruptus at the Conference on World Affairs, April 9-12, CU Boulder - University Memorial Scan the QR code for the full schedule of the upcoming Conference Center, 1669 Euclid Ave. Free of World Affairs — including a horror panel with Josh Larsen moderated by Boulder Weekly arts and culture editor Jezy J. Gray, and a conversation about A.I. with editor-in-chief Shay Castle.
APRIL 4, 2024
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